Workplace Injury Research Round Up | Part 1
In the UK, workplace injuries cost an estimated £7.7billion (21/22) and musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) caused an estimated 6.6 million lost working days (22/23). This is a massive cost to our economy, our businesses, and to those who are dealing with pain and injury related to their workplace.
In 2022/23 musculoskeletal disorders cost an average of £16,279 and 13.9 missed working days per person.
In 2022/23 there were 132,00 people who reported a new MSD, bringing the total of those living with a work-related MSD to 473,000. Adding this to the 561,000 reported workplace injuries and 60,645 serious injuries reported through RIDDOR, that is over a million people in the UK who are in pain as a result of doing their job.
Behind each of these statistics are real people experiencing life altering pain, and as employers, it’s our responsibility to protect our teams from becoming part of these sobering statistics.
You will have a good understanding of the injuries that are common in your industry, but to give you an overview on the latest statistics:
82,000 lower limb injuries reported
195,000 back injuries reported
196,000 upper limb or neck injuries reported
17% of these were the result of manual handling operations (lifting, carrying or supporting loads)
32% of these were from slips, trips or falls from the same level
None of us want to be injured or harmed at work. So what can we do to make sure your staff are as protected and prepared as possible?
Read part 2 for more!
